Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 Department of Economics, Faculty of Management and Economics, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran
2 Lorestan university
Abstract
The path toward sustainable development in emerging economies is challenged by the complex trade-off between economic growth and environmental protection. This study empirically examines the determinants of environmental degradation in eleven N11 countries over the period 2000–2022. Ecological footprint is employed as a comprehensive measure of environmental degradation, while the effects of economic growth, globalization, and natural resource rents are investigated. To ensure robust results, two advanced econometric techniques are applied: the Method of Moments Quantile Regression (MMQR), which captures heterogeneous impacts across the distribution of ecological footprint, and the Driscoll–Kraay standard error panel estimator, which corrects for cross-sectional dependence and other panel data issues. The findings strongly confirm the presence of an N-shaped Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) in N11 countries, implying that after an initial improvement, higher levels of income are again associated with increasing environmental pressure. Moreover, natural resource rents are found to significantly exacerbate the ecological footprint, supporting the resource curse hypothesis in its environmental dimension. In contrast, globalization exerts a significant negative effect on environmental degradation, highlighting its role in facilitating the transfer of cleaner technologies and environmental standards. These results carry important policy implications. Policymakers in N11 countries should not rely on the automatic environmental benefits of growth but must implement stringent environmental regulations consistently. Economic diversification and reducing dependence on resource-based revenues, alongside leveraging globalization to attract green investment and technology, are crucial for achieving sustainability. Overall, the study underscores the necessity of an integrated approach that aligns economic growth with environmental sustainability
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